Institutional facilities including correctional institutions, hospitals, schools, and the like accommodate persons during sleeping hours. Often times it is not feasible for these facilities to provide regular beds that include a frame, box springs, and mattress. Regular beds may be too expensive, require too much storage space, or not be practical. Therefore, alternative means of providing a bed must be provided. Various types of beds have been used in the past each with varying inadequacies.
Because of the use in institutional facilities, the beds are used by many different people and often need cleaning. One drawback of previous designs is the difficulty in cleaning the beds. Several previous designs require the bed to be disassembled with each of the component parts being cleaned and then reassembled prior to the next use. Previous bed designs that cannot be disassembled may not be able to be cleaned adequately prior to the next use. Additionally, some previous bed designs were constructed of materials that contributed to uncleanly conditions. Materials that are absorbent or do not resist fluid result in the inner sections of the bed becoming soiled. This often required the bed to be destroyed.
Many prior bed designs were unacceptable for use in correctional institutions that house violent persons. The beds could be disassembled with the component parts used by persons to injure themselves or others. The persons could further rip into the interior of the beds to hide contraband that is forbidden within the correctional institution. The beds were not constructed adequately resulting in the beds being destroyed and requiring replacement. Once the beds were disassembled, they were no longer usable and had to be destroyed.
The prior art bed designs further were not economical for their intended purpose. A bed that met the requirements of the facility was too expensive. Beds that were within a budget were inferior in comfort, cleaning ability, durability, or other necessary aspect.
The present invention is directed to a bedding arrangement having a mattress section and an attached pillow. The mattress includes a mattress core contained within a first cover. The pillow includes a pillow core contained within a second cover. The first and second covers are attached together forming a connection positioned between the mattress section and pillow section with the pillow section being positioned away from the mattress section (i.e., in a non-overlapping orientation). The connection provides for the pillow section to be movable relative to the mattress section. This construction provides an economical bedding arrangement which is durable, straight-forward to clean, and prevents persons from damaging or otherwise disassembling the mattress and/or pillow.
The present invention also provides a method of constructing the bedding arrangement. One or more sheets are obtained for forming the pillow cover, and one or more sheets are obtained for forming the mattress cover. In the embodiment having one sheet, the sheet is folded forming an edge with the opposite side being attached together. In the embodiment using two sheets, the sheets are overlapped and at least two sides are attached together. Attachment of the sheets is accomplished using stitching or other attachment means. The pillow cover and mattress cover are than attached together along one of the edges. In this state, the covers are connected with at least one edge of each of the pillow and mattress being open. A pillow core is placed within the interior of the pillow cover and then sealed within the interior. Likewise, a mattress core is placed within the interior of the mattress cover and sealed within the interior.